Heat exchange apparatus



June 1,1, 1940.

w. SAMANs' HEAT XCHANGE AIVPARATUS Filed July 1s,v 1958 Patented June1I, 19-40 Walter Samana, Philadelphia. Pa., assigner, by

meme assignments, to Hendryv Process Corporation. W DelawareA Del.. acorporation o! Appumma .my 1s, ma, Asemina. 219.561

s claims.

This invention relates to heat exchange apparatus, and more particularlyto a compact apparatus for securing heatexchange uniformly between afluid being subjected to chemical processing and a fluid provided forheat interchange with the first fluid.

In various chemical processes involving the generation or absorption ofheat by a reacting substance, it is important that the temperature l0 bemaintained within relatively narrow limits throughout the entirequantity of the material during the chemical reaction in which it isinvolved. This is particularly true in reactions involving the use ofcatalysts in nely divided i'orm', in which case it is relativelydiillcult to insure substantially uniform temperature and heat exchangeconditions throughout the body of the catalyst.

1t is the primary object of the present invention to provide anapparatus in which Aheat exchange maye be closely controlled withconsequent substantial uniformity of the reacting conditions. relateparticularly to details of construction whereby large quantities ofmaterials may be treated under controlled conditions with a minimum ofcomplication and in a minimum space.

The above and other objects ot the invention, particularly relating todetails, will become apparent from the following description read inwhich:v

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a heat exchange apparatusembodying the principles of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a section taken on the plane the trace of which is indicatedat 2-2 in Figure 1.

As disclosed in Figure 1, the apparatus is par ticularly designed for.the catalytic treatment of materials such as petroleum hydrocarbons.The hydrocarbons invaporized condition pass through regions containingfinely divided catalyst under conditions involving the absorption ofheat. Heat is applied through the medium of a hot uid dis- I 5| ess, butmerely with the apparatus for effectively Other objects of the presentinvention A providing'heat exchanges oi either o r both of the typesgenerally indicated above.

The improved heat exchange apparatus comprises a seriesoi cylindricalsections 2, 4, .8, 8 and ill and, in addition, an entrance header *i2 5and discharge header I4 for the heat exchange fluid, which in generalwill be a liquid, though it may `be in vapor or gaseous condition. Eachof .the sections just enumerated is provided with upper and lower tubesheets I6 and I8, respec- 10 tively, supporting-tubes 20 extendingvertically between them. The enclosures formed by the cylindrical walls-of the sections and the tube sheets' and surrounding the tubes 20 maybe insulated by cylindrically insulating material inl. dicated at 22.The primary huid involved in the` chemical reactions may enter each ofthe enclosures at 24 and leave at 28, so as to `pass in a generallyupward direction through, for example,

a body of catalyst located in the spaces between zo vthe tubes 20 andheld between distributing screens 30 and 32 provided withA openings forthe tubes 20 and additionally provided with ne openings such as thoseindicated at 34 in Figure 2 permitting the flow o! the reactingmaterial. 25 The ne openings may be provided .merely by enlarging ornotching the openings for the tubes. Thus each of the enclosures isprovided with lower and upper clear spaces and an 'intermediate spacecontaining catalyst. The clear spaces 30 conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, inf provide for uniform distribution of thematerial being treated across each of the enclosures to provide auniformflow through the catalyst. The screens and 32 are preferably sloping asindicated in' Figure 1 to promote this even dis- 35 tribution.

The arrangementof the tube sheets IE and i8 provides a number ofchambers between the sections, as indicated at 38, 40, '44 and 48. Ofthese chambers, 36 and 44 may be considered gather- 40 ing chambers andchambers 40 and 48 distributing chambers for the secondary heat exchangeuid.

Extending from the lower header I2 upwardly to communicate'with thechamber 4|!l is a rela- 45 tively large tube 28. By rea'son of thisvarrangement, the secondary iluid flows upwardly through the tubes 20 ofthe lowermost section l0 into the gathering chamber 36 andsimultaneously flows upwardly through the tube 38l into the ditdistributing chamber 40 and thence downwardly into the gathering chamber36. Discharge oi the fluid from chamber 36 takes place through theupwardly extending tube `42 into a second gathering chamber 44. f n

The tube 38 not only provides uld for downward passage through the tubesof the section l, but also provides iluid for the'passage. upwardlythrough the tubes 20 of section 5 of the second gathering chamber 44 andalso through the tube 4B into a second distributing chamber Y4l fromwhich flow takes place downwardly through tubes 2D of section 4. Thegathering chamber 44 thus receives the fluid iiowing through the tubesof sections 4 and t. This uid is discharged through the tube 59 alongwith the uid entering chamber d4 through tube 42 and is guided by thetube to the upper header i4. Additionally, the header M receives thefluid owing fromthe distributing chamber 68 upwardly through thedistributing tubes 2li of section 2.

The flow through the catalyst parallel to the tubes is preferable,giving the maximum length of path for the vapor through the catalystwith short lengths of cooling medium tubes to limit maximum lateraldistortion resulting from variations of temperature during theregeneration period.

The arrangement thus described provides by reason of the proper relativeproportioning of the tubes 38, 42, 46 and 50 a substantially uniform4flow of heat exchange fluid at uniform temperature through all of thegroups of tubes 20 oi' the Various sections. The tube 38 hasapproximately'twice the fluid capacity oi the tube 46, both beingproportioned with respect to the total cross-sectional areas of 'thetubes 20 so that half the iiuid owlng through the tube 38 will passthrough the tubes 20 of sections 6 and a end the other half through thetubes 2o of' sections 2 and 4. The proportioning is also such thatapproximately one-nfth oi. the total fluid -passes through the tubes 2uof the lowermost section l0. Control of this ilow is additionallyeiected through the discharge tubes 42 and 50,

- which are also proportioned to each other so as to securesubstantially uniform conditions in all of the sections. It isunnecessary to describe the calculations to arrive at this in detailherein, because, as will be obvious, the relationships of the tubesdepend upon the viscosity and density of the material being used as heatexchange medium. The known conditions of flow through ktubes ofdifferent sizes for liquids of different for replacement of thecatalyst. For this purpose they are provided with anges as indicated,arranged to be bolted together-by bolts indicated at 52. 'I'he headersI8 and iB may be conventionally spaced by annular anges as indicated at54, secured by bolts to the headers IB and welded to the headers IB.4The various tubes, 46, 42 and 50 may be formed in two parts releasablycoupled together as indicated at 5. Flexible seals (not shown) arepreferably provided at the joints to engage the headers I6.

It wiu be noted that the arrangement de-l scribed provides alternatedistributing and gathering cha distributi g chambers and meansconnecting suc- It is desirable that the various 4 bers with meansconnecting successive a heat exchange uid is supplied to the groups ofheat exchange tubes ofthe various sections in parallel fashion. It willbe obvious that the ends of the invention may be accomplished withvarious changes in details without departing from the scope of theinvention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 1

l. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a series of alternate distributingand gathering chambers, a group of heat exchange tubes connecting eachpair of adjacent chambers, an enclosure surrounding each group oi' heatexchange tubes, means providing for the entrance of iiuid into each ofsaid enclosures and exit of fluid from each of said enclosures wherebythe fluid may pass about said tubes, means connecting successive ydistributing chambers, and means providing for the exit of fluid fromthe gathering chambers, so that a second fluid provided for heatinterchange with the lrst mentioned fluid may flow from eachdistributing chamber into the adjacent gathering chambers through groupsof said heat exchange -tubes, and additionally to the next distributingchamber.

2. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a series of alternate distributingand gathering chambers, a group otheat exchange tubes connecting eachpair of adjacent chambers, an enclosure surrounding each group oi heatexchange tubes,

-means providing for the entrance of iluid into each of` said enclosuresand exit of iluid from each of said enclosures whereby the fluid maypass about said tubes, means connecting successive distributingchambers, and means connecting successive gathering chambers, so that asecond fluid provided for heat interchange with the rst mentioned iiuidmay ow from each distributing chamber into the adjacent gatheringchambers through groups of said heat exchange tubes, and additionally tothe next distributing chamber.

3. Heat exchange apparatus' comprising a series of alternatedistributing and gathering chambers, a group of heat exchange tubesconnecting each pair of adjacent chambers, an enclosure surrounding eachgroupof heat exchange tubes, means providing for the entrance of uidinto each of said enclosures and exit of iluid fromv each oi' saidenclosures whereby the fluid may pass about said tubes, means extendingthrough the said enclosures connecting successive distributing chambers,and means providing for the exit tubes, and additionally to the nextdistributing chamber.

4. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a casing formed of more tha-n twoseparablecylindrical sections arranged in an axially extending series,each of said sections including an enclosure having. a group of heatexchange tubes .extending axially therethrough, means providing for theentrance'of iluid into each of said enclosures and exit of uid from eachof said enclosures whereby the uidmay pass about said tubes,

and means for supplying a second iiuid in parallel to the 'groups ofheat exchange tubes of the various sections.

5. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a casing formed of more than twoseparablecylindrical sections arranged in an axially extending series,each ot said sections including an` enclocessive gathering chambers insuch fashion that 'sure having a group ot heat exchange tubes extendingaxially therethrough. rneans providing for the entrance of fluid intoeach'o! said encloy sure's and exitof uid from each oi said enclosures4whereby the iiuid may pass about said tubes, and means for Asupplying asecond fluid in parallelto the Groups of heat exchange tubes ofthevarious sections, sothat in alternategroups of. tubes flowtherethrou'gbtakes place in opposite tions includinganenelosurehavingaaroupofdirection# I 6. Heat exchange apparatus comprising acasing formed of more than two sections'an'anged in an axially extendingseries, each of said sec- -may pass. about said tubes, means forsupplying a second fluid in parallel to the groups of heatexchange'tubes f of lthe various sections, and

means comprising conduits for the second nuid proportioned relatively`to each other and to said heat exchange tubes to provide substantiallythe same ows of said iiuid through the various of vheat exchange tubes.

WALTER sums.'

